Duygu Asena facts for kids

Duygu Asena (born April 19, 1946 – died July 30, 2006) was a famous Turkish journalist and best-selling author. She was also an important activist who worked hard for women's rights.

Her Life and Work

Duygu Asena was born in Istanbul. She finished her high school education at Kadıköy Private Girls' College. Later, she studied at Istanbul University Pedagogy Department. This means she learned about teaching and child development.

She started her career working with children. She was a pedagogue at Haseki Hospital Children's Clinic. She also worked at Istanbul University Children's House.

Her first article was published in the Hurriyet newspaper in 1972. After that, she became a journalist and manager for many magazines and newspapers. She was the editor-in-chief of Kadınca magazine. This was one of the most important women's magazines in Turkey. She worked there from 1978 to 1992. She also worked for Kim magazine.

Duygu Asena also had her own TV show. It was called Ondan Sonra (After That). It was shown on the TRT-2 television channel from 1992 to 1997.

Becoming an Author

Besides journalism, Duygu Asena became a well-known author. Her first book was called Kadının Adı Yok (Woman Has No Name). This book became very famous.

In 1988, the book faced some challenges. But after a long legal process, it was allowed to be sold again. The book was even made into a movie by director Atıf Yılmaz in the same year.

Because of her writings, Duygu Asena became known as a writer who supported women's rights. She wrote about important topics for women.

Later Years

Duygu Asena passed away on July 30, 2006. She was being treated for a brain tumor at the VKV American Hospital. She was buried in Zincirlikuyu Cemetery.

The Turkey P.E.N. The Writers' Association honored Duygu Asena in 2006. They gave her an award for her great work. This award was for her contributions to the women's movement in Turkey.

Today, the Duygu Asena Awards are still given out. They celebrate new writers who follow in her footsteps. For example, in 2022, Seray Şahiner received this award for her novel "Ülker Abla".

Awards and Recognition

Duygu Asena received several awards for her work:

• 1988 – "People at the Summit" award from Nokta Magazine
• 1988 – "Best Author" award from Boğaziçi University for her book Kadının Adı Yok
• 1995 – "Best Author" award from Boğaziçi University
• 1998 – "75 Women in 75 Years" Award